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Trancilian
Participating Frequently
November 4, 2025
Answered

InDesign 2026: Drop Shadows graphical glitch

  • November 4, 2025
  • 15 replies
  • 1413 views

After the most recent update I had to create a document using assets from older indesign files that previously never gave any issues. Now the dropshadows from multiple (different objects) move all over the place (away from the object as if theres a fixed lightsource) when I move these objects. When I turn off the dropshadow of the object, move the object and then turn the shadow back on it will have the shadow in it's correct position. When I move the object around multiple times it will start glitching the entire page until I move my cursor over it again. When I change the path of the object the displaced shadow will snap back into it's correct position, making me think this is a graphical display issue. 

 

In the example below you can see how the dropshadows moved. (left one moved up when moving the object down and to the left. Right one stayed closer to it's original position but offset, middle is the original position before copying and moving). 

 

i'm working on a Macbook Pro m2MAx Sequoia Version 15.6.

 

 

    Correct answer Abhishek Rao

    Hi everyone,

     

    Thanks again for all the details, screenshots, and files you've shared regarding this behavior. I wanted to let you know that a bug has been logged for this issue, and the product team is actively working on a fix.

    I'll share an update here as soon as more information becomes available or the fix is implemented.

     

    Appreciate your patience and collaboration while the team works on resolving this.

    Abhishek

     

     

    <Marking the response as a correct answer for better visibility>

    15 replies

    amy.e
    amy.e
    Participant
    April 2, 2026

    I have finally found a fairly easy work around. My issue has been with the drop shadow effect being spaced way off the object/text.

    Export to .png by writing in 300.dpi. and follow through  by creating the document.  Then do the same at 200, 150, then you can successfully make your export at 100 and even 72. You have to work it down and always write it in manually. 

    troyjack
    troyjack
    Inspiring
    March 31, 2026

    Where is the fix, please?

    I prefer solid workflow over “workarounds.”

    Just updated to 21.3 and this bug still persists.

      K
      katrinam5558823
      Participant
      March 31, 2026

      Same with me. After the update it let’s me export at 96 dpi pngs now without distorting drop shadows but still not 72 dpi. 

      squarecloudsD
      squarecloudsD
      Participant
      March 22, 2026

      for me → if i export my PNGs at 300 dpi the shadows are shown correctly, but if if i change to lets say 72 dpi then the gap between element and shadow becomes huge.

        K
        katrinam5558823
        Participant
        March 23, 2026

        Thank you for that tip! At least there is a work around for now to save at 300 dpi. Super annoying though. I have had this problem for a few months and have just been avoiding drop shadows. I can’t believe they haven’t fixed it yet!!

        P
        pstrudl
        Participant
        February 16, 2026

        I also have this ugly problem since more than 2 months - no solution after the last updates. Every day it makes me crazy and I've tried everything to find a workaround. What I´m doing now is: select the object with the shadow, cut it (command-X) and undo. Then the shadow is correct again. Not a solution, but a workaround. I hope there will be soon an update that solves the problem.

          K
          Kevin.Starbird
          Participating Frequently
          February 11, 2026

          This appears to be two different problems: the on-screen graphical glitch (which I have seen, but am no longer exeriencing), and the export-to-PNG problem, which is still a hugely disruptive bug for me. Like the examples above from ​@jas0ntho and ​@dalef48115216, it appears to only be in the Y-axis for me. I have found that reducing the Y offset of the shadow in the effects panel by about 15 pixels or so (getting into negative numbers, if necessary) mostly compensates for the issue when exporting.

          Steph34573869dt94
          Steph34573869dt94
          Participant
          February 9, 2026

          For anyone still experiencing this glitch, I just noticed it for the first time, but a workaround seems to be to make a copy of the object with the drop shadow.

          For me it only happened with certain objects that had been freshly added to the document (copied from another document in my case), but duplicates within the document showed normal behaviour.

          J
          jas0ntho
          Participant
          February 6, 2026

          I commented about getting this 3 months ago and still no fix. Also now when i export PNG files from indesign it glitches and moves the drop shadow. I can’t export PNG at ALL from indesign now which has really screwed up my workflow. I’m attaching a screen shot of what it looks like in the file VS when exported to PNG. 

           

            D
            dalef48115216
            Participant
            February 11, 2026

            I to am still having the same problem when exporting it into a PNG. It’s find on the actual document though. I have tried all the tips in this thread, like grouping and then chaning the % down then up, but nothing helps. I just do see how Adobe have allowed the glitch to occur for so long, it’s rediculous. It’s not just me either, all the designers in my department are experiencing it as well.  

             

            S
            Stefan285728506xm7
            Participant
            February 5, 2026

            Have this bug, probably form 2 or 3 months already. 2 or 3 indesign updates have passed, but this thing still persists.

             

            A
            AntonioTheAnt
            Known Participant
            February 5, 2026

            So what? The problem still exists in InDesign 21.2 on Mac.

            Thomas Gregorc
            Thomas Gregorc
            Participant
            January 29, 2026

            So, what's the status now? The bug report is two months old and the error still exists! My tests haven't been able to confirm rotation as the cause. It doesn't matter what text or object is positioned, how, or where; the drop shadow is always shifted when exporting to PNG. This is extremely annoying and it's high time it was fixed.

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